1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to writing utensils, particularly to pens that have the tip or the body of the pen angled for use by left handed writers.
2. Description of Related Art
Western written languages are read from left to right and written in the same direction. Thus, to write, a right handed writer pulls a writing utensil from left to right. However, a left handed writer must push a pen from left to right. Thus, the natural position of the pen in the left hand causes the pen to be inclined into the paper in the direction of writing and consequently aligns the pressure being exerted by the left hand against the paper with the direction of movement. This contrasts with a right-hander whose writing pressure is directed opposite the direction of movement across the page. These facts thus present a number of problems during left handed writing.
For example, as the pen is pushed, the left hand may be dragged across the face of the newly inked paper, causing it to smear. This is a function solely of the left-to-right direction of travel of the pen relative to the page. Thus, a left hander often compensates by forming a large arc with the left arm to bring the hand and pen from the left to rest to the right side of the writing, effectively writing from above the inked page. This contortion may become tiresome.
Moreover, the inclination of the pen against the paper, i.e. the left hand pushing the pen into the paper while holding the pen in the "natural" position, may cause the paper to rip, an occurrence which is far less likely when the pen is being pulled across the page by a right hander. Again, the left-hander compensates by contorting the left arm as described above. Therefore, a need exists for a pen which eliminates these problems and the consequential remedial actions by a left-hander.
Writing utensils with curved bodies and curved tips that orient the writing portion of the pen relative to the main body of the pen at an angle are known in the patent literature. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,621 issued to Hans Reinhard Fehling et al. on Nov. 14, 1967 discloses a writing instrument, with an internal tubular member that stores ink, which is angled a considerable distance from the ballpoint of the pen, which ballpoint is located at the tip of the tubular member. The tubular member is set at an angle from 30 to 50 degrees from an axis that concentrically passes through the tip of the pen. The internal tubular member and ball are not freely removable from the tubular housing within which they are placed. This presents manufacturing concerns and is inconsistent with the standard construction of ballpoint tip and hull constructed pens, for example, as commonly sold under the brandname BIC.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,994 issued to Robert Brown on Dec. 22, 1992 discloses a writing instrument that has grooves placed near the tip of the internal tubular member which stores the ink. The grooves are placed on only one side of the tubular member to enable the tubular member to be bent to an angle greater than 30 degrees from the axis that aligns with the tip of the pen.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,124 issued to Marjan Kolaric on Jun. 18, 1996 discloses a pen with a retractable flexible ink reservoir that is placed in a housing. The housing is bent at a considerable distance from the tip of the pen and an angle is formed with the axis that aligns with the tip of the pen as described above.
German Publication Number G 90 00 724.7 published on May 31, 1990 to Tiemann discloses a pen with an angled body relative to the tip. The angle of the body of the pen with the axis that aligns with the tip is about 45 degrees. The tip of the pen and connected ink cartridge are removable from the same end of the pen the cartridge is inserted. The housing or body of the pen is formed to fit the index and middle fingers of the scrivener in one embodiment with very small angles between the tip and body of the pen. A second drawing shows an enlarged body of the pen. A hump protrudes outward at the location of the angle formed on the pen, protruding in the opposite direction of the tip of the pen, for the purpose of resting an index finger. A second smaller hump on the same side of the pen as the writing tip and opposite the angled portion of the pen is provided as an area to fit a middle finger.
The distance from the tip of the pen to the angle formed is considerable with all the above named inventions. The large distance is not necessary and is cumbersome to the writing utensil. None of the above inventions disclose an body angled at above 50 degrees, either. The large body with its protrusions disclosed to fit the fingers of a scrivener and large angles are cumbersome and limit the use of the pen. The prior art does not teach a compact pen body that is angled with a removable ink cartridge, that permits present manufacturing methods to be simply adapted.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.